Punch Taverns has announced plans to invest over £3m in its Scottish estate over the next 12 months while Star Pubs & Bars have pledged to spend £2m. The two pub companies, which between them are responsible for more than 300 pubs, are refurbishing and improving outside areas.
Punch’s Operations Director Scotland, Brian Davidson said, “Tourism and the economy in Scotland are particularly buoyant and we have seen a growing demand for good quality hotel accommodation coupled with traditional Scottish hospitality. Our hotels and pubs are all in prime locations and refurbishment schemes have been designed to make the most of the site’s heritage whilst celebrating locally sourced food and drink. From traditional wet-led sites to award winning gastro pubs, our Scottish estate has it all.”
Over recent months, Punch has invested £500k in developing the 16 bedroom Crown Hotel in Stornoway and £1m in the 24 bedroom Portree Hotel on the Isle of Skye.
During 2016, the company plans to further develop key hotel sites in the North, Central Belt and Borders along with a number of pub sites throughout Scotland.
Meanwhile Star Pubs & Bars is planning to spend, where possible, prior to the peak summer trading months and, in pubs with a reputation for sport, in time for Euro 2016. It has put aside nearly £500K to improving the outside of 19 of its pubs with The Hazeldene in Gretna Green one of the first to benefit. The pub has recently had a £220K refurbishment, and £40K of that was on the outside area. A 40 cover deck has been created with access to the main building through French doors and it also boasts a retractable canopy.
The development has helped to double the pub’s trading space, which will also allow the licensees, Paula Baillie and Kieran White, (pictured) to grow their function and wedding business.
Plans are in place for another 13 pubs to have their external areas redeveloped to increase their capacity and covers. A further six pubs will also be benefitting from new signage and external decorations to enhance their kerb appeal. Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs & Bars MD said, “These projects will meet customer demand for alfresco dining and boost pubs’ capacity for a relatively low spend. The outside of a pub is its shop window and if it looks great it will attract passing trade.”
Stock Spirits Group is bringing its range of Stock Prestige brands to the Scottish market. The group, offers high end premium brands including its innovative sparkling vodka brand Stock, which also comes in Cranberry and Lemon flavours. The company also produces a premium gin.
Stock Prestige brands has already won various international awards including a Gold and silver medal for the grapefruit and clear varieties at the International Spirits Challenge 2014, two golden stars for the clear and cranberry varieties and a Silver medal in the 2013 International Spirits Challenge
Stock Prestige is, say the company, “the result of combining 130 years of experience in production of top quality spirits with the most recent technological advancements.”
For example its vodka undergoes a six-step distillation process with additional chilled filtration which results in a high-quality vodka with an exceptionally smooth taste.
Garreth Wood has put six of his Scottish pub venues in his Speratus Group up for sale. On the market are 99 Hanover Street, Auld Hundred and the Golf Tavern in Edinburgh and Paramount Bar, the Illicit Still and Nox in Aberdeen. Offers in excess of £11.5m are sought. Speratus will turn its focus to expanding its philanthropic Boozy Cow burger concept and has just completed the purchase of a site in Stirling and has plans to open two more restaurants this year. The group has said that all the profits from the Boozy Cow will go to charity. In February the first Scottish charities to benefit from a share of the £263K profit from the Boozy Cow’s Aberdeen and Edinburgh burger bars are the ARCHIE Foundation, VSA, CHAS, STV Children’s Appeal and the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative. Christie & Co is handling the sale of the pubs.
Tennent’s Lager is set to become the first alcohol brand in the UK and Ireland next month, to print clear nutritional and calorie information on its cans and bottles. It will also display this information on drip mats in pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants.
Alastair Campbell, Managing Director of Tennent Caledonian explains, “There is increasing interest amongst consumers around the nutritional content of the food and drink that they consume. We feel that it is a natural next step to include calorie information on our cans and bottles to sit alongside the responsible drinking messaging and number of alcohol units already displayed. Calorie content is an easily understandable way to help people make better choices about what and how much they consume. They can see this information on the foods they eat, we therefore believe that the packaging of our beer and cider brands should carry these details too.”
Tennent’s Lager contains 30 kcal /100ml, which is the lowest of the main lager brands. Soft drinks like orange juice and cola contain 44kcal & 43kcal per 100ml respectively. This means a pint of Tennent’s in a pub comes in at around 170 calories. http://www.tennents.com
Scottish Minister of Public Health Maureen Watt added, “The Scottish Government supports any measures which will deliver improved alcohol product labelling. Many people are unaware of the calorie content of alcoholic drinks so this is an important step forward in informing consumers and as such, we are happy to support Tennent’s commitment today.
Alastair Campbell is pictured with Maureen Watt.
Congratulations to Buzzworks Holdings. They have secured themselves a place on The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For 2016. This recognition comes as a result of a survey, which is completed by all staff and reveals how employees perceive their work environment. This accolade Follows on from the groups recent success, where they were ranked 20th in The Caterer’s 2015 ‘Best Places To Work in Hospitality’.
The Ayrshire based business, which now employs over 400 people and operates Elliots, Scotts, Lido, Treehouse, Longhouse and the newly opened Mill House in Stewarton is now recognised as being one of the best employers within the UK across all sectors. Last year only one Scottish company made it into the Sunday Times prestigious list.
Kenny Blair, Managing Director commented, “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised as one of the UK’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For 2016’. What is especially pleasing about this particular award is that there are no judges. Instead our staff complete an anonymous questionnaire and we are compared and benchmarked with some of the UK’s best known companies. Only the top 100 make the list. We have a fantastic group of people working within our business and they are central to our ongoing success and growth.” The awards ceremony will be held in London on Thursday 25th February 2016 where Buzzworks will discover their ranking in The Top 100.
Innis & Gunn is planning to launch its second bar & restaurant venue, The Beer Kitchen by Innis & Gunn, in Dundee. The company aims to build on the success of the brand’s first site in Edinburgh which opened last summer. Innis & Gunn’s, Founder and Master Brewer, Dougal Sharp said, “Dundee is a vibrant, thriving city and with the huge redevelopment that’s happening it was always top of our list of cities to launch in as soon as we could. We want to open Dundonian drinkers’ eyes to what real beer means to us at Innis & Gunn, in our own relaxed way that’s worked really well for us at our first venue in Edinburgh. We’ve zero tolerance for second rate, tasteless beer but our bars are not about us dictating personal taste – we want our venues to change the world of beer for the better by being flag wavers for incredible, flavor packed brews, not fixated on selling ‘flash in the pan’ beers that are all beard and no trousers. It’s our no nonsense approach to quality and real flavor in our beers and food that we hope will go down well with the good folk of Dundee.”
Architects Morgan McDonnell have been briefed to roll out the brand’s relaxed Scandi- Scottish style interior design at the venue at 10 South Tay Street, which alongside the Edinburgh premises, is G1 owned. The 3,700 square feet site will feature limited edition oak aged cask beers in an exposed beer cellar and 2 x 5 hectolitre tanks serving Innis & Gunn’s award-winning unpasteurized lager fresh from the brewery. The kitchen offering will include pub classics with a beer ‘flavor’, alongside chopped and charred and low and slow style dishes. David Hall, is the man in charge of the roll out of the concept, and he is planning another two sites by the end of 2016.
This month we take a look at some women in the trade who have impressed us over the last year. Obviously there are lots more, but sometimes some fly under the radar. All of the women we are featuring are making a real contribution to the Scottish licensed trade and to businesses they work in. there are a few women who would appear in this list year after year, and they are mentioned at the end of the page.
Josie Binnie Proprietor, Town House Restaurants
Josie Binnie has been the sole Proprietor of the Town House Restaurant Group for more than a year now. It’s her passion, drive and ambition that is now driving the business forward. She leads the team at The Wheelhouse Restaurant in Falkirk and at The Boathouse at Auchinstarry Marina and was delighted when The Wheelhouse won Best Small Business 2014 and Outstanding Achievement Award 2014 at the Falkirk Business Awards. Josie started out in the hospitality business at the tender age of 16 at the Oxgang Hotel in Grangement and after helping to open the 1st of three Brewer’s Fayres in Scotland she went onto to be one of Whitbread’s leading hotel managers. Latterly looking after the Pirnhall Inn in Stirling, before setting up Town House Restaurants in 2008 with former husband Malcolm. Says Josie, “The strengths of the business are reflective of the team I have developed over the past 9 years who are passionate about the continued journey of customer excellence.”
She continue, “My focus this year is to further develop my team especially in the kitchen and management. I am also determined to get “out of the business” more with my managers and visit other restaurants to see what is trending and what would work for Townhouse Restaurants”.
Stephanie Wade Director, The Tennent’s Training Academy & Visitor Centre
Stephanie has now been in this role for eighteen months, although prior to this she was Sales and Operations Manager for the business. Her team are responsible for ensuring that Scottish employees in the licensed trade, that sign up at the Academy, get the very best hospitality training. The Academy is dedicated to the Hospitality Industry and offers a fresh approach to learning new skills with exciting cookery classes, legislative hospitality trade courses and inspirational teaching in a unique environment. Stephanie says she is passionate about the UK Hospitality & Tourism Industry, and is inspired by the fantastic stories of career development in our fast moving industry. In 2013 she was included in the UK’s Top 30 under 30 Acorn Awards, which acknowledge young people who are making their mark on the industry.
Stephanie says, “2015 was a fantastic year for the Tennent’s Training Academy. We delivered a vast amount of courses and events for our diverse client base, and we look forward to more of the same in 2016. We know it’s a challenging time for the industry as a whole but we’re greatly encouraged by the volume of talented and committed individuals of all ages that have passed through our various accredited courses.
“We’re passionate about hospitality and tourism and are proud to work with people from across Scotland to develop the skills they need to either enter into work or to expand their skills, help boost the sector, and be part of an exciting industry that is hugely valuable to the Scottish economy.”
Lynne Parker General Manager, West on the Corner
Lynne Parker took on the role of General Manager at West on the Corner at the end of last year, after occupying the same role at Cafe Gandolfi for nearly 10 years. At the time she said, “After almost a decade at Gandolfi, it seemed like the right time to switch from one Glasgow dining institution to another. I’ve always been impressed by Petra’s ideas and WEST on the Corner offered a rare opportunity to help establish an exciting new dining venture in the West End almost from the outset.”
Cara Mikolic Co-owner Riverbank, La Barca & Cattle & Creel, Helensburgh
Cara is now putting as much enthusiasm, drive and passion into running her own restaurant businesses with husband Milan, as she did when she was working as a journalist for Scotland’s biggest selling daily newspaper, The Daily Record. She may have followed her mother into journalism, but having met hubby Milan in Greece, it was he that followed her back to Glasgow. He continued working in hospitality, but it was not until Cara had her two children that she decided, in 2010, to take redundancy from the Record and go into business for themselves with the opening of The Riverbank in Helensburgh. This was followed by a Spanish tapas restaurant La Barca in 2012, with the latest restaurant Cattle & Creel opening at the end of last year. Cara recently told DRAM, “It’s not meant to be easy, it’s meant to be challenging, but we thrive on that.”
Karen started working for boss Rob Orr in 1997 as a student and after graduating from Napier University, she continued to work her way up through the company. Today she is responsible for all the training in the company with Supervisors and Management teams. Helps build the business by focussing on increasing profitability, year on year, in all outlets as well as having a hands on role when it comes to refurbishing and re-launching venues, an area of the job that she just loves. She also deals with the trade reps and likes sourcing up and coming products in the industry. And if that was not enough she also works in the head office a couple of days a week – running the company payroll, invoicing and dealing accounts. She told DRAM, “We have just had all four venues in Edinburgh awarded Gold in the Best bar none Awards and Silk got Best in the Nightclub category. Dusk in Stirling also was recently awarded a Silver. She continues, “Producing all policies and implementing and training all staff is a very rewarding part of my job – made more so by the awards we got at the end of last year.”
Beverly has a wealth of experience in the hotel industry and although now COO of Carlowrie her past experience includes acting as a consultant for various hoteliers and working as Interim MD for various companies including Q-Hotels and Saltire Taverns.
Beverly first came to Scotland to work with Gleneagles Hotel that first attracted her to Scotland and then helped Ken McCulloch establish One Devonshire Gardens, before creating Malmaison Hotels. She loves to help build hospitality brands renowned for total quality and also believes in developing talent in the industry as such she is a trustee of HIT Scotland and Chair of the scholarship committee. She is now giving Carlowrie Castle her full attention to help establish it globally as a true modern luxury Scottish Castle.
Suzanne McLaughlin Co-owner Yesbar, Glasgow
Suzanne used to be as much at home tending to the needs of passengers at 35,000 feet as an air hostess, as she was serving customers on ground level in Yesbar, formerly Vespar, the Glasgow bar she runs with husband Jim McLaughlin (aka DJ Jim Da Best). However now she is now combining running the bar with a political career. In fact she and husband Jim changed the name of their bar during the referendum to Yesbar. She was a supporter of the Radical Independence Campaign during the referendum and is on the Board of Women for Independence. Now she is officially a nominee for Glasgow Regional list candidacy in the Holyrood 2016 elections. Currently she is Women’s and Equalities Officer at the party. Suzanne told DRAM, “If I am elected I think not only will I be a voice for women, but business owners, and of course I will be able to voice my concerns over issues concerning the licensed trade.”
Dale MacPhee General Manager, Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh -The Caledonian
Originally from Nova Scotia Dale now holds British citizenship. She joined the Hilton Halifax as Front Desk Receptionist for the summer, which was 23 years ago! Since then she has worked with Hilton Worldwide joining the luxury division, Waldorf Astoria almost 6 years ago. Dale has worked in Europe for around 17 years, arriving in the UK in 2004 and in Scotland in 2013.
Dale has pioneered new ground for women in the hospitality business as the first female General Manager within the division and of the only Waldorf Astoria in the UK. She said: ‘‘The Caley’ is one of the most iconic buildings in Edinburgh and Edinburgh is now one of my favourite cities. Having arrived in Scotland knowing no-one I was thrilled with the welcome I received. As a result, one of my favourite aspects of the job is to welcome guests from around the world alongside those from the city. Each has a different reason for visiting and we love helping to create a memorable stay.’
Fallon Cowley Operations Director, Manorview
Fallon Cowley is a force to be reckoned with at Manorview. She is boss Steve Graham’s righthand woman, but she is also his niece, and keeping it in the family, she is also married to the Group’s Development Director, Anthony. The two acquired their shares in the company in 2009. Together they make a formidable team, and Fallon with her attention to detail and focus on all the operational aspects of the business, has been key to Manorview’s success. The company portfolio includes The Busby Hotel, the Lynnhurst Hotel in Johnstone, and the Bowfield Hotel in Howwood, as well as The Torrance in East Kilbride with its latest acquisition Boclair House, in Bearsden due to open shortly.
Her role includes handling all HR and Recruitment, Marketing, Procurement and Sales and Revenue Management. She also focusses on ensuring high standards of customer service are observed at all times.
Louise Ralston General Manager, The Trading House
Louise makes a return to our ‘Women we Love’ featuring having just returned to Glasgow as General Manager of the new Trading House on St Vincent Place. The new bar and restaurant, which opened last year is part of The New World Trading Company, which is an offshoot of Living Ventures, and Louise, who has worked for the company in one role or other since 2009. First as GM at The Grill on the Corner, part of their Blackhouse arm, which saw her takes sales from 600 covers per week to 3,000, before moving to Manchester. She has moved back to Glasgow to take on the challenge of establishing the Trading House. She seems to be doing a good job.
Lisa Wishart of Lisini and Lynn Mortimer of Lynnet are two of the most social licensed trade Managing Directors and entrepreneurs I know. Work hard, play hard, comes to mind! Both are hands on, forward thinking, and have managed to work with their respective fathers (Harry Hood and James Mortimer) over the years admirably. Both live and breathe the businesses they run. They have inherited their parents work ethic and have brought their own expertise to the business. They are certainly not to be underestimated and continue to drive their family businesses forward.
Laurie Nicol, Regional Operations Director – Scotland at Principal Hayley/Starwood Capital Group, who I wrote about last year, continues to bring her own special magic to the business she runs for Principal Hayley, which now includes The Blythswood Hotel and The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow, The George Hotel, The Bonham and The Roxburgh in Edinburgh. She presided over the revamp and launch of The Printing Press late last year and her team was tasked with looking after George Clooney when he stayed in Edinburgh.
Maroulla Nicholas, Managing Director of The Glynhill picked up the DRAM Lifetime Achievement Award last year. She has been boss at the Renfrew hotel, which she owns with her two brothers, for too many years to mention! She is currently putting the finishing touches to a revamp of the hotel’s bedrooms. While she has fresh plans for the hotel’s bar areas too. Last year saw the ongoing refurbishment of the hotel which she tells me is always ongoing.
Angela Vickers, Chief Executive of Apex Hotels saw the first Glasgow hotel for the group open at the tail-end of last year. Angela, who is an accountant to trade, keeps abreast of all the issues that could affect the hotel industry not only now, but in the future too. Last time I spoke to her she was concerned about the ‘Cyber’ risk, and her predictions were not far off the mark, no sooner than she mentioned it than Talktalk suffered its Cyber hack. Definitely a hotelier to keep an eye on.
Star Pubs & Bars honoured the achievements of some of its most outstanding Scottish licensees at its annual Star Awards this week. Four Scottish operators came out tops in the Star Pubs & Bars Northern region of 307 pubs. They were: Iain Pert and Gordon Gilhooley of PG Taverns Scotland won the most nominations for their stunning creation of the Jolly Botanist in Edinburgh,winning Best Marketing as well as finalist positions for Retailer of the Year and Best Use of Social Media.; The Kirkhouse in Glasgow retained its Heart of the Community accolade for a second year running under the stewardship of licensee Frank Healey; Phil Crowder and Arlene Allan of the Faerie Tree in Aberfoyle were the best in the region for Most Family Friendly Pub while James and Louise Rusk of the Butchershop Bar & Grill in Glasgow won acclaim for the Best Use of Social Media.
Chris Cosh, Procurement Director of Wallaces TCB, has decided to leave the business to pursue other interests. His departure follows that of CEO Brian Calder in the summer and Sales Director for the on-trade, Matt Munro.
Chris Cosh comments, “After 27 years of working for Wallaces Express and now WallacesTCB, I have decided it is time for me to move on. Wallaces has been a very large part of my life, starting as a 17-year-old straight out of school, working for the family business. I’m extremely proud to have been part of a company, acknowledged as a leader in the Scottish drinks industry.
“I’m leaving the business in good hands, knowing that the management and staff at Wallaces TCB will continue to build on our position as Scotland’s leading drinks business. I have really enjoyed my time working for the company and have made a lot of good friends. I wish everyone at Wallaces TCB every success.
Added Alastair Campbell, Managing Director of Wallace TCB, “ We’re disappointed that Chris has decided to leave WallacesTCB but as a valued member of our management team he departs with our thanks and best wishes. Chris and his family were instrumental in building Wallaces Express into Scotland’s largest and most successful independent wines and spirits wholesaler, ahead of its acquisition by C&C Group plc early last year. The subsequent creation of WallacesTCB created Scotland’s only ‘One Stop Shop’ for the On Trade. We proudly continue to focus on delivering an unrivalled range of market leading brands and exceptional customer service.”
Scotland may be famous for its whisky, but it could equally be as famous for its gin … as the bulk of the UK’s gin production is here. Gordon’s with more than 40% of the market is distilled at Leven as is Tanqueray, while Hendrick’s is made at Girvan. More lately however its Scottish craft premium gins that have been making bartenders and consumers throughout the country stand up and take notice.
Certainly Hendrick’s could be credited with starting the gin renaissance in the UK much in the same way Magners kicked off the cider revival, but today its craft gin distillers who are making great strides.
At the start of the the year drinks analysts CGA said that premium gins were among the drinks to watch in 2015, certainly craft gin sales are up 49% in the past two years with craft gins now claiming 28% of the UK gin market.
Gin is cool and more specifically premium craft gins are the coolest brands of all. The good news is that not only are many of the mainstream brands made in Scotland, but the Scotland’s premium craft gins are making their mark and not just in Scotland but throughout the UK – Atlas Bar in Manchester recently unveiled their top ten selling gins and half of them were Scottish (including Hendrick’s). They were Edinburgh Gin, Rock Rose, Darnley’s View and Caorunn while they also tweeted out their love of Boë gin, Eden.Love and Daffy’s for Valentine’s day.
North Berwick Gin, NB was sampled by the biggest names in pop at the recent Brit Awards after show party hosted by Sony. The brand managed to secure the opportunity to mix up gin cocktails and have a bottle of NB on every table at the party. The cocktails included Bees Knees, made with honey and rosemary.
NB Gin is produced by Vivienne and Steve Muir in a custom-made copper still at their micro-distillery in North Berwick, East Lothian and has a blend of eight botanicals.
Daffy’s with an ABV of 43.4% is the very latest gin to launch (mind you by the time we publish there could be another one…) its got a pretty cool bottle and is run by Chris Molyneaux. It hosted a launch party recently at the Devil’s Advocate and has on its bottle Daffy the Goddess of Gin. The company say their gin is unique because it is “created from the finest French grain spirit, distilled on an ancient copper pot whisky still with Lebanese mint and the finest botanicals”… and it can be enjoyed “straight over ice like the finest of malt whiskies.”
Eden Mill, the St.Andrews based distillery and brewery, released what they believe is the first ‘Dry Hopped Gin’ to be made in the UK last year. Hop.Gin, which has an ABV of 46%, is packed in ceramic bottles with a swingtop closure. Paul Miller, owner of Eden Mill said, “The real fun of being an authentic ‘small batch’ brewer and distiller is that we can be innovative and experimental with what we produce. The additional dry hopping on Dry Hopped Gin really sets it apart from other conventional gins.”
Since Hop.Gin have produced a further two gins in the ceramic bottles with swingtop closures – Oak.Gin and Love.Gin with the latter going down a storm at St Valentine’s day.
Claire Nicoll of The Keys in St Andrews, told DRAM, “We like to stock Scottish products for our customers and our gins go down very well. I particularly like the range of gins from Eden.”
Caorunn, which has been produced at at Balmenach Distillery in Speyside since 2009, also has a distinctive bottle, uses pure grain spirit, not molasses like most gins, and promotes its own unique serve… Caorunn Gin with a freshly cut red apple. Caorunn (Scottish Gaelic for rowanberry) boasts 11 botanicals (five Celtic) and was named one of the UK’s Cool Brands in 2013/14.
Darnley’s View Gin from Wemyss Malts was launched in 2010 and celebrates the meeting of Mary Queen of Scots and her husband Lord Darnley at the Wemyss family home, Wemyss Castle, in 1565. Darnley’s View sits alongside the Wemyss family’s spirits portfolio which includes Wemyss Malts. Darnley’s View is a classic gin with balanced juniper and citrus, and a surprising twist in the form of fruity and floral elderflower. The family launched the Kingsbarn Distillery and Visitor Centre at the end of last year.
Rock Rose is a Caithness distilled gin from Dunnet Bay Distillers – and it is distilled in a traditional copper still called Elizabeth. (Edinburgh Gin call theirs Jenny). It was recently the runner up at the Speciality Food Show in the best product award category and is owned by husband and wife team Martin and Claire Murray. The gin which launched last year is made using locally derived botanicals, including the rock rose, from which the brand takes its name, sea buckthorn, rowan berries and blaeberries.
Makar gin was released late last year – the Glasgow gin from the Glasgow Distillery Company at Hillington, is another premium handcrafted gin produced in small batches in it’s own copper pot still (called Annie). and has seven botanicals.
Look out for a new gin from Angus-based Arbikie Distillery – which has just launched a vodka. Gin is expected to be produced come the Spring.
It’s not just Scottish gins that have stand out on the back bar, Butler’s Gin is a new, British, artisan spirit produced in East London which is hand bottled and comes in a squarish bottle. Originally inspired by a Victorian recipe, the gin is placed in a 20-litre glass jar with infusion bags containing fresh lemongrass, cardamom, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, fennel, lemon and lime. Each bottle is then signed by The Butler personally to ensure the highest quality. The light green-meets-yellow tint is achieved by the Butler’s addition of lemongrass and cardamom – a unique blend that aromatherapists consider both refreshment and a relaxant. It’s award winning too having picked a Silver award at the International Spirits Challenge and a Silver at the International Wine & Spirit Competition.
Then there is Cadenhead’s Old Raj Gin it is distinctive in that it contains a measure of saffron, the rare and costly spice derived from the crocus flower. In addition to a slightly spicy flavour, this also imparts a pale yellow colour to Old Raj. The addition of saffron is undertaken personally by the Company master blender in order to ensure a consistency in flavour and colour each time Old Raj is bottled.
Says Iain Pert of Edinburgh’s newest gin bar the Jolly Botanist, “Edinburgh Gin has been selling really well. So has The Botanist, Caorunn as well as Hendrick’s. I think the latter sells well because everyone knows Hendricks.” He continues, “But all our gins are selling. I’ve had to totally restock three times since we opened – just over a week ago! We’ve also got through 70 cases of Fevertree an 40 cases of Fentimans. That’s because we actually recommend the serve to go with the gin. Some of more suited than others. I’m learning as we go along, but I find that consumers are really interested in gin. They ask lots of questions and then try them.”
He continues, “The great thing about gin is that distillers can really experiment with it by adding different botanicals. I think they find that quick good fun too. And you don’t have to wait years to taste it you can taste it two days later.”
There is a common thread running through most of the gin launches in that the owners also are planning to distill whisky or have whisky. Creating gin is a much quicker process – for instance it only takes eight hours to distill a small batch gin, and it could be on your shelves a week. The sames goes for vodka. However, with whisky is a much more long-drawn process. So by distilling gins and vodka’s new distilleries are able to generate revenue while their whisky matures. So technically our love of whisky is driving our passion for gin…
It also helps that for licensees, it is not prohibitive cost wise, to have a reasonable range of gins. And most bars do. Gin also crosses the spectrum of bars – independent traditional bars are just as likely to have a good a range of gin as independent style-orientated bars. The Ben Nevis in Glasgow stocks ten gins.
Elaine Scott licensees of the Ben Nevis says, ‘People tend to come in and ask about new gins. At the moment Makar is proving quite popular. Probably because it is a Glasgow gin.”
As well as a great range of craft gins Scottish consumers are also flocking to its gin bars. In Glasgow Gin71 and the Alston Bar and Grill, in Edinburgh – 56 North, Bramble, Heads and Tails, One Square, Mothers and now Jolly Botanist. But we have a way to go before we match Spains enthusiasm for Gin – says Iain Pert, “Spain leads the way when it comes to gin bars – they are everywhere.”
Eleven graduates from the Diageo Learning for Life Hospitality and Bartender Course have been presented with HIT Scotland Scholarship Awards at the recent HIT Emerging Talent conference in Edinburgh. The conference, which identifies and supports the best of Scottish hospitality talent, offers scholars the opportunity to enhance their skills through a special work placement at world class venues including the likes of Buckingham Palace, Disney World, Florida and Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire.
Diageo’s, Learning for Life Hospitality and Bartending course, is part of a global initiative which helps young unemployed adults into employment through practical training, work experience and the development of life skills such as cv writing, time management and communication.
More than 250 participants graduated from 14 Learning for Life courses in 2014 and Diageo with its training partner, Springboard UK, are set to expand the programmes into more Scottish locations this year.
Rhian Elliot, a Scholar who graduated from a Stirlingshire Learning for Life course said, “The Diageo, Learning for Life Hospitality Course has given me the opportunity to not only develop my practical skills but has also boosted my confidence. The HITS scholarship is the icing on the cake and I’m looking forward to a career in the industry.”
Mark Baird, Head of Alcohol in Society for Diageo GB said,“All of our HIT Scotland Scholarship winners have really shown outstanding dedication and an appetite to make a successful career in Hospitality and Bartending. The 11 that were chosen should be an inspiration for our next Learning for Life participants.”
Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HIT Scotland) is a Scottish based charity whose mission is to assist people to achieve their potential within Scottish hospitality.
David Cochrane Chief Executive HIT Scotland said, “HIT Scotland is delighted with the high calibre of award winners from the Diageo, Learning for Life programme – I’m sure that they will all forge first class careers in the hospitality sector.”
Tennent Caledonian has revealed that the wholesale selling price of the brewer’s draught beers, including Tennent’s Lager and Caledonia Best, will increase on 1st March 2014, by 2.2% on a duty inclusive basis. This is the company’s first price rise (excluding duty) to the Scottish free on-trade for Tennent’s owned draught beers since 2012 and is the lowest increase of any of the major brewer’s announced to date.
However for the second year running, a price freeze will be implemented across the company’s draught cider portfolio – which includes Magners Golden Draught, Blackthorn, Gaymers and Addlestones.
Prices across the company’s full draught portfolio were frozen in 2013 for the free on-trade. This year’s 2.2% increase for draught owned beer brands reflects the continuing impact of rising production and operating costs at the brewery.
John Gilligan, Managing Director of Tennent Caledonian, commented, “We’re very conscious that price rises are not good news. As a result, we have looked to minimise the level of increase, despite rising costs of our raw materials and utilities. This announcement which combines a price freeze for our draught ciders and a relatively modest rise for our draught beers, once again shows our strong understanding of the free on-trade in Scotland and what our customers need for 2014. As the brewer of some of Scotland’s most successful and best loved brands, we know that anything we can do to help licensees in the current economic climate is warmly welcomed. We will continue to work in close partnership with our customers and through measures such as fair pricing, a world class portfolio of brands, exceptional customer service, financial support and training, will be right behind them as they develop their businesses in the year ahead.”
Innis & Gunn has celebrated its 10th birthday by launching an unoaked lager in the on-trade. Available on draught Innis & Gunn Lager (4.6% ABV)uses native British ingredients with some Innis & Gunn flourishes. It’s the first time the independent brewer has launched an unoaked beer under its umbrella brand, and will be the first release in a series of craft-brewed products intended by the company.
Dougal Sharp, founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn, comments, “Innis & Gunn beers are pretty complex characters that most people like to take time to get to know. They’re not light sessionable beers so I wanted to give our consumers a refreshing but flavourful lager that would deliver a really rewarding taste experience in the same way they’ve grown to expect through our oak-aged beers.”
Innis & Gunn Lager will initially be sold in 50 litre kegs and, from September/October, it will be available to the on and off-trade in bottles. Enquiries should be made to sales@innisandgunn.com or Tel: 0131 220 7230.
Scotland’s hotels are outperforming the rest of the UK, according to PKF’s latest monthly snapshot of hotel occupancy levels. In May, occupancy levels rose by 0.6% to 77% compared with the same time last year with England reporting 73.3% occupancy rates and Wales 74.9%.Yield per room also increased by 3.1% to £55.83 in Scotland. The figure for England was £44.88.
Glasgow’s revenue fell by 7.1%, but both Aberdeen and Edinburgh saw rises of 10% and 8.9% respectively.
Alastair Rae, of PKF, which published the figures, said: “These numbers are very positive for Scotland as a whole. The figures for Glasgow show a dip in both occupancy and revenue but this is in comparison to a spike during May 2010. I would, therefore, expect the June figures to show Glasgow increasing in line with the rest of Scotland.”
Josie Binnie
Stephanie Wade
Lynne Parker
Cara Mikolic
Karen McCormick
Beverly Payne
Suzanne McLaughlin
Dale MacPhee
Fallon Cowley
Louise Ralston
Glasgow’s revenue fell by 7.1%, but both Aberdeen and Edinburgh saw rises of 10% and 8.9% respectively.